The other Tampa Bay beat writer named Marc, Marc Topkin, says it's a 6-year deal worth $17.5 million. The Rays hold a 2014 option, and a two-year option for 2015-2016. If all the options are picked up, the total value of the deal comes to 9 years, $44 million -- giving the Rays cost-certainty for the next six and then a shot at Longoria's first three free agent years for a total of $26.5 million. Even if Longoria doesn't end up as the superstar that almost everyone thinks he's a lock to become, this is still going to be a good deal for the Rays. And Longoria benefits, because he's banked $17 million and likely quite a bit more after just six games in the majors.

I add this because the one prospect who is almost unanimously regarded as superior to Longoria is our own Jay Bruce, who is currently toiling in the minors with a .935 OPS because we wish to delay his arbitration and free agency by a year. This, of course, while we get to watch the Corey Patterson show (for $3 million!). Now that the precedent has been set, can anybody see any reason why the Reds shouldn't get on this, extend Jay Bruce, and have him up in the majors now as well as the next decade?